We’ve all been there.<\/span>\u00a0While you’re making soup, you stop and take a taste. The soup seems too watery.<\/span>\u00a0You are disappointed and wonder “How can I thicken the soup to make it creamy?”<\/span><\/p>\n This guide will cover how to thicken soups or stews.<\/span><\/p>\n Reminisce about the creamiest soups that you have ever tried.<\/span>\u00a0Cream of mushroom.<\/span>\u00a0Broccoli cheddar soup.<\/span>\u00a0Gumbo.<\/span>\u00a0These dishes were thickened with what ingredients?<\/span>\u00a0Some recipes include thickeners such as cream or flour.<\/span>\u00a0Some soups can be modified by using other techniques like pureeing and mashing.<\/span><\/p>\n You will need to choose the right thickener depending on your use case.<\/span><\/p>\n Pureeing the vegetables is the best way to thicken soup.<\/span>\u00a0The creamiest soups are made with starchy vegetables.<\/span>\u00a0You can use potatoes, corn, parsnips and sweet potatoes.<\/span>\u00a0For a more chunky texture, blend half of the vegetables with the liquid.<\/span><\/p>\n A great way to give your soup more body is to mash beans, lentils or rice.<\/span>\u00a0Cannellini beans and red lentils, as well as yellow lentils and white rice, add great flavor to your soup. You can also mashing half of the cooked beans\/lentils\/beans to thicken the soup.<\/span><\/p>\n You can also blend half of the soup or all for a smoother texture.<\/span><\/p>\n When making bread, remove the crusts and add cubes of the soup’s soft interior.<\/span>\u00a0For a uniform texture, you can puree the soup.<\/span><\/p>\n Your dish will have a velvety texture thanks to dairy products.<\/span>\u00a0While soups thickened with milk won’t have the same weight as pureed vegetables, they will be rich and creamy.<\/span>\u00a0Dairy also helps to balance a spicy dish.<\/span>\u00a0The bright contrast of yogurt and buttermilk is provided by buttermilk and yogurt.<\/span><\/p>\n When dairy is added incorrectly, it can curdle liquids.<\/span>\u00a0Avoid this risk by using cream or cr\u00e8me fraiche, which have higher fat content.<\/span>\u00a0Low-fat products like milk can curdle when heated. So add them to the soup as soon as it is warm, but not boiling.<\/span><\/p>\n Tempering can also reduce curdling.<\/span>\u00a0Start by adding a small amount to the dairy. Continue whisking the soup until it reaches the desired temperature.<\/span>\u00a0Next, add the milk mixture to the soup and whisk it at low heat.<\/span><\/p>\n Some recipes may call for flour or cornstarch to be used with milk or yogurt. These stabilizers lower the risk of curdling.<\/span><\/p>\n Add cream to soup.<\/em>\u00a0Slowly stir the cream into the soup over medium or low heat.<\/span>\u00a0The cream should not curdle if it is heated at a lower temperature, but it is possible to temper it to ensure safety.<\/span>\u00a0Coconut milk is a great dairy-free option, but high temperatures can cause it to curdle.<\/span><\/p>\n You can add yogurt or buttermilk to a soup, such as gazpacho.<\/em>\u00a0Buttermilk and yogurt can be added to the soup.<\/span>\u00a0Alternately, temper the milk and then heat the soup on low heat.<\/span><\/p>\n It is possible to thicken liquids by adding eggs. This is common with avgolemono which is a creamy lemon soup.<\/span>\u00a0Mix eggs with the hot liquid. Once the egg mixture is at the right temperature, temper it by adding small amounts to the soup.<\/span>\u00a0Slowly stir the egg mixture into the soup. Do not boil it or it will curdle.<\/span><\/p>\n Starches and flours both help thicken sauces.<\/span>\u00a0They will clump if they are added directly to your soup.<\/span>\u00a0Instead, mix a small amount soup with the starch or flour to dissolve it, and then add the mixture to the soup.<\/span><\/p>\n This mixture is also called a “slurry”.<\/span>\u00a0Let the soup boil for about a minute after adding the slurry.<\/span>\u00a0The mixture may thin again if it is boiled for too long.<\/span><\/p>\n A roux is another way to thicken soup, as in making gumbo.<\/span>\u00a0A roux, a paste made from flour and fat, is a cooked paste.<\/span>\u00a0Similar methods are used in a beurre manie. This involves mixing butter and flour until it forms a paste.<\/span>\u00a0Once the paste has been incorporated, it is whisked into a soup.<\/span>\u00a0To thicken the soup properly, you will need to boil it.<\/span>\u00a0To prevent clumping, a roux should be added to a cold liquid.<\/span><\/p>\n Silken tofu, which is dairy-free, has a neutral flavor.<\/span>\u00a0Blend the silken soup base with the silken tofu until smooth.<\/span><\/p>\n You will need to mix, mash, or pur\u00e9e ingredients for many thickeners.<\/span>\u00a0A whisk is useful for smooth mixing starches and flours in soup.<\/span>\u00a0You can also use a potato masher to mash starchy vegetables like beans and lentils.<\/span><\/p>\n The right equipment for blending depends on what consistency you are looking for.<\/span>\u00a0An immersion blender, for example, is very useful to blend soup on the stove. However, it can be difficult to achieve a smooth soup.<\/span><\/p>\n A countertop blender will give you the smoothest texture.<\/span>\u00a0Blending hot foods in a countertop blender is dangerous.<\/span>\u00a0Before adding the liquid to the blender, cool it down.<\/span>\u00a0Then, take off the feeder cap and place a towel on top of the hole. Otherwise, hot liquids can explode.<\/span>\u00a0While blending, keep your hand on the towel. Continue to blend at low speed until the mixture becomes smooth.<\/span>What makes a soup or stew thick and creamy?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Six Ways to Thicken Soups and Stews<\/span><\/h2>\n
1.<\/span>\u00a0Puree the vegetables.<\/span><\/h3>\n
2.<\/span>\u00a0Mash beans, lentils and rice are all good options.<\/span><\/h3>\n
3.<\/span>\u00a0You can also add some dairy.<\/span><\/h3>\n
4.<\/span>\u00a0Add an egg.<\/span><\/h3>\n
5.<\/span>\u00a0Mix in some flour or starch.<\/span><\/h3>\n
6.<\/span>\u00a0Add some silken tofu.<\/span><\/h3>\n
Equipment Recommendations<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n